A Hard to Watch "Deadliest Catch"

I've been a fan of the Discovery Channel series Deadliest Catch since it first appeared as a 2-hour special before they kicked off the regular series.  After all these years you pretty much get to know the major players on the various boats and a little bit about the process of catching crab in Alaskan waters.

Back in February, while this season's shows were still be filmed, one of the major characters, Captain Phil Harris of the Cornelia Marie, suffered a devastating stroke and passed away a few days later.  I blogged both of those stories here and here.  I knew that this year's shows would have a certain poignancy to them, and they have.  As the season went on every time Harris came on the screen there was always that thought in the back of my mind that "I know how this ends and it doesn't end well for Phil".

Two weeks ago they aired the episode in which Harris is discovered after having suffered the stroke.  He was airlifted to Anchorage and his sons and fellow Captain Jonathan Hillstrand of the Time Bandit kept vigil.  Last week the hospital saga continued with Phil's emergency surgery and his sons' battle to figure out what to do next. Tonight it all hits home as they air Phil's final episode.  It won't be easy to watch.

The two hour show airs at 9pm Eastern and Pacific (or 6pm Pacific if you have satellite like I do).